Letters

In today's Food Section, two articles of great charm and utility came to our attention. One was a wonderful piece of writing regarding the wise and ancient Pellegrini; an awfully well written essay that I have clipped for future re-reacting. Another was the discourse on the variety and multidunious uses of olives; a rather neglected condiment in our cultural cuisine except for garnishing a Martini or a wayward salad.

The contention is (or are) the two recipes for tapenade. One uses a 4.5 ounce can of tuna in oil, while the other in the You Asked About portion of the Food Section did not.

Will the true tapenade please stand up? I suppose it can be explained that one is the "true" tapenade while the other is a variation on the theme. But which one?

I await your explanation with bated breath, as I find it in either form something new and different and am anxious to try both ways; but being informed makes me function in a much better fashion.

HARRY L. WEISS

Beverly Hills

Editor's note: The Original recipe is the one without tuna--not only for that reason but because it contains capers. The word tapenade comes from tapeno, the Provencal word for capers.